Continuous-film package.



1. R. GRABERT & P. I. FRIEDRICHS.

'-CoNTl NUOUS FILM PACKAGE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG24| I9I4.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. RVGRABERT & P. J. FRIEDRICHS.

CONTINUOUS FILM PACKAGE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-24. 1914.

uurs-gn 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES REN GBABERT AND PHILIP JOHN FRIEDRICHS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA,ASSIGNORS 0F ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES CARROLL, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

CONTINUOUS-FILM PACKAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application iled August 24, 1914. Serial No. 858,412.

To all whom z't may concern Be it known that We, JAMES R. GRABERT andPHTLIP J. FRIEDRICHS, both citizens of the United States, and residentsof New Orcontinuously, not only before introductioninto the photographicapparatus, but during its presence and luse therein; and, preferably,.also as a means of safe removal of the exposed film from thephotographic apparatus, and subsequent handling; or more -specificallystated, to construct the original container for photographic films insuch a manner as will permit a number of such containers with theircontained films, and without opening, tobe interchangeably introducedbodily into and to coperate with the magazine of a camera, or a pair ofsuch containers, one with and the other without the film, to be used inboth the delivery and receiving magazines, or in coperative relationshipwith the controlling mechanism of such magazines', if the walls of themagazines be omitted.

.Heretofore, manufacturers of photographic films and especially themanufacturers of raw motion picture films, have furnished such films tothe user in an ordinary tin box orthe like, sealed to exclude light andimpurities. The film shipped in this kind of a can vhas to be taken fromthe can and placed inthe magazine of the camera, in'a dark room, whichproceeding can never be carried out in the field, and, therefore, notonly involves the inconvenience of loading up a number of specialmagazines, as a separate step in the use of the camera, but involvescarrying such eXtra magazines with the camera, thereby limitingtheoperating capacity and increasing the cost of equipment. The presentinvention eliminatesthis bad feature by adapting the original shippingcontainer vfor films, to be directly introduced 'into the camera withoutremoval of the film from the container, so that any desired number ofsuch original packages can be used without the use of a dark room or anysubstitute therefor. Moreover, this same original container may, whenempty, be used as a receiver in the camera into which the exposed filmis wound,.so that whereas in the method heretofore employed it has alsobeen necessary to use the dark room in taking the film from thereceiving magazine, after exposure, and removal from the camera proper,the present invention eliminates this bad feature by using an emptycontainer in relation to the exposure mechanism of the ordinaryreceiving magazine of the camera, whereby the film, after it has passedthrough the exposure mechanism of the camera, may be readily taken fromthe magazine without light or other impurities reaching it. I

rapher, when using a container constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, may enter the field without carrying with him anyextra .camera magazines, as Was necessary for him to do when employingthe old method.

In lcarrying out the invention, theconl tainer is adapted to receive andhold photographic films, mounted and wound upon a spool which isconstructed differently from spools heretofore employed, in thatsupporting and guiding journal bearings are provided between the spooland container which leave the roll free to rotate, while a light-prooflslit in a wall of the container permits the film to pass during itstravel to or from the exposure mechanism of the camera, and both thecontainer and spool are provided with openings coaxial with the journallbearings to permitv the ordinary camera spindles to enter into rotarycontrol of the roll.

The invention resides in a container havent invention applied thereto;the receiving I 7'5" It can be readily seen that `the pl'hotog-vmagazine thereof being'opened to show the new container insertedtherein; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a film magazine showmg themanner of applying the container; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of thecontainer with the cover removed, and showing that portion of its sidein section which embodies the slit through which the film passes; Fig. 4is a detail view of the side of the container, showing a modified formof slit; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the container, showingtheinternal parts; Fig. 6 is aside elevation of the container; Fi 7 is across section of a modified form cfg spool; Fig. 8 is an end view of aspool as shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a detail view of a modified formof bearing for mounting the spool in the contalner. I

Referring to the illustrative embodiment in detail, A represents theexposure mechanism of a motion picture camera, and B and C represent thedelivery and receiving magazines, respectively, all of which are ofconventional construction and for which, per vsethe applicants claim noinvention.

l -represents a container, embodying the essential features of thisinvention and constructed of any desired form or material.

2 represents the spool upon which the film is wound.

The container 1 has a removable cover or top piece 3 carrying one endwall, and a bottom piece 4-carrying the other end wall and the annularside wall, as shown inFig. 5.

5 and 6 represent journals separately constructed and applied to therespective end walls of the container, and on which the spool 2 isadapted to be mounted through the medium of journal-bearings 11 providedin its ends. These journals are formed by mounting annular collars onthe inside of the end Walls of the container coaxially with theapertures 7, provided in the end Wallsto receive the spindle 8 0f themagazine.

.As suggested bythe modified form of journal 6 shown in Fig. 9, thejournals for the spool may be made by merely 'upsetting the metal in theshape of annular collars around the center apertures ofthe end walls ofthe container. l made, it will be noticed that the end wall opening ofthe container which receives the spindle 8 coincides with the internaldimension of the journal bearing 11. The spool 2 is constructed with an'axial Spindle bore 9 to receive the spindle `8 of the magazine.

'This spindle has a bifurcated head which engages the means provided onthe spool to insure joint' rotation of the spindle and spool, as forinstance the staple 10 in Fig. 5,

or thel diametrical pin 13 of Figs. 7 and 8.

Flanges 5 and 6 which provide the journals in connection with thereinforcing base flanges 5", 6", from which they project, make light anddustproof closures with the spool When this form of journal is againstthe ends ofthe spool, and this is also true of the journal flangesformed integral with the container and the en d walls from which theyproject in Fig. 9. These tight closures nevertheless leave the film rolland spool free to revolve under control of the entering. spindle. 12represents a slit on the side of the spool to receive the end ofthefilm. The depth of this slit is preferably such that it does not reachthe journal bearings 11 in the ends of the spool and it, therefore, doesnot impair the light-proof condition of the package.

The modified form of sta-ple shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is formed by a pin13 extending through the spool transversely to its axis. 14 representsthe slit in the side wall of the container, through which the filmpasses in its travel to and from the exposure mechanism A. This slit maybe ofA a length to properly receive the film, it being also constructedin a manner to exclude light from the inside of the container. Toaccomplish this llast expedient, the slit may be provided with twopieces of plush 15 which pass through the 'slit in contact' with eachother and have their respective eiids securely fixed to the insideand,outside of the container. To properly brace the slit against spreadingand to lend increased thickness to the walls of the slit with consequentsecurity against leakage of light, brace pieces 16 may beA used toadvantage; however, this is not a necessity as the slit may beconstructed in accordance with the modified form shown in Fig. 4.

It is the practice to sealoriginal packages of continuous photographicfilms by applying', around the joint between the body and the cover ofthe container, a strip of adhesive plaster, which serves to keep outlight and impurities. The film package constructed in accordance withthe present invention will be similarly reinforced against the admissionof influences that would injure the film, and its end wall openings willbe sealed by the suitable application of similar material: in positionto hermetically close them. But unlike the film packages heretoforemade, the present pac age can be put into use without the necessity ofstrippmg ofi the sealing plaster; the seals applied over the axial endopenings being, if desired, merely punctured by the application ofthepackage to the spindle, and the annular sealing strip being merelyslitted where it overlies the light-proof film package of the container.Or these seals over the spindle openings may be' removed withoutremoving the main seal around the annular wall.

From the foregoing; it will be seen that a film .container embodying theessential features of thisjnvention and properly loaded,

and impurities from injuring the film, but will enter directly intooperative relation with the camera without opening; also that emptycontainers of such construction may be employed for winding exposed filmin the operation of.' the camera, and removal of the exposed film fromthe camera. Moreover, the construction of independent rotary mountingfor the film within the novel container provides for admission of thecontrolling memberof the camera without admitting light or impuritiesthrough the bearings.

We claim:-

1. A package for continuous films for ccameras, comprising a relativelythin container constructed with a removable cover and having a film slotformed in its side wall, and having upon its vend wall, an annularjournal bearing constructed to support and guide a roll of lm withfreedom of rotation; said journal bearing and the wall which carries it,being formed with coaxial openings to permit a spindle to enter thecontainer and assume control of the film roll therein, saidend wall alsocarrying an abutmentbearing for the film spool.

2. A package for continuous films for cameras, comprising a relativelythin container constructed with a removable 'cover and having a filmslot formed in its side wall, and having upon its end-wall, an annularjournal bearing constructed to support and guide a roll of film withfreedom of rotation; said journal bearing and the Wall which carries it,being formed with coaxial openings to permit a spindle to enter thecontainer and assume control of the rotation of the film-roll therein;said end-wall also carrying an abutment bearing for the filmspool andsaid end-wall journal-bearing comprising a flange surrounding theendwall opening and projecting inwardly in position to enter a recess ina film-spool, whereby a light tight joint with the spool is effected.

3. A container for continuous films for cameras, said container having afilm-slot, formed in its side wall, and having upon its end-wall, anannular journal bearing constructed to support and guide a roll of filmwith freedom of rotation; said journal bearingand the wall which carriesit, being -iiormed with coaxial openings to permit a 5 spindle to enterthe container and assume control of the rotation of the film-rolltherein; said end-wall also carrying a base ring providing aAreinforcing abutment bearing for the film-spool, and said end-walljournalvbearing comprising a fiange surrounding the end-wall opening andprojecting 1nwardly in position to enter a recess ina film-4 spool,whereby a light tight joint with the spool is effected.

4. A photographic film-roll having a spool constructed with an axialspindle-bearing, and with an independent journal-bearing coaxial withthe spindle-bearing, whereby the roll is adapted for mounting, withfreedom of rotation, upon one journal while receiving a spindle inrelation to control its rotation.

5|. A photographic film-roll having a winding and unwinding' spoolconstructed with an axial spindle-bearing adapting the spool to beapplied over a controlling spindle, and having at its ends, journalbearings coaxial with but independent of the spindlebearing, adaptingthe roll to receive rotary support and guidance independently of thespindle, while leaving its rotation subject to control by the spindle.

6. A photographic film-roll having a winding and unwinding spoolconstructed with an axial spindle-bearing adapting the spool to beapplied over a controlling spindle, and with a journal bearing coaxialwith, but independent of the spindle bearing, adapting the roll toreceive rotary support and 'guidance independently of the spindle, whileleavingits r Itation subject to control by the spindle; said spool alsohaving means for interlocking it with the spindle to insure rotation ofthe roll with the spindle.

7. In combination, a film spool having a spindle-bore and an independentjournal bearing coaxial with said spindle-bore and a film-containeradapted to receive said filmspool with a film thereon, and constructedin its side wall with a-film-slot, and provided, upon its end wall, withan independentjeurnal'to receive the journal bearing of the spool;coaxial spindle openings being `provided through the end wall andjournal,

which aline with the spindle-bore of the spool when in position, aspindle engaging in said spindle bore and means for keying said spindleand film spool together.

8. In combination, a film spool having a spindle-bore and an independentjournal bearing coaxial with Said spindle-bore and afilm-container/adapted to receive said filmspool with a film thereon,and constructed in its side wall with a film-slot, and provided, uponits end Wall, with a journal to receive the journal bearing of thespool; coaxial spindle openings being provided through the end wall andjournal which aline with the spindle-bore of the spool when in position,a spindle engaging in said spindle bore, means for, holding said spooland spindle rigidly together in a circumferential direction butpermitting axial displacement between them.

9. In combination, a film spool having a spindle-bore `and anindependent journal bearing coaxial with said spindle-bore and afilm-container adapted to receive said filmspool with a film thereon,and constructed in its side Wall with a film-slot, and provided, uponits end Wall, with a journal to receive the journal bearing of thespool; coaxial spindle'openings being provided through the end Wall andjournal which aline vwith the spindle-bore ofthe spool when. inposition, a spindle engaging in said spindle bore, means for -holdingsaid spool and spindle rigidly together in a circumferential directionbut permitting axial displacement between them, said means comprising atransverse member in the spool and a forked end on the spindle.

The foregoing specification signed at New Orleans, Louisiana, lthis 3dday of August, 15 1914.

JAMES RN GRABERT. PHILIP JOHN FRIEDRICHS.

In presence of- IRWIN A. BEYER, Azzo J .A PLOUGH.

